Archive for 'Pretty Views'

Elba is an impossibly beautiful island off the coast of Tuscany that is famous as the place to which Napoleon was exiled. It is full of stunning beaches and excellent hiking routes across its lush and characteristic peaks and valleys and there is much to be seen if you have found a luxury villa on the Tuscan Coast and are exploring the island. However, if you don’t quite feel up to a hike or it’s a particularly hot day or you want a more unique experience and a bit of a thrill, then why not head to the Cabinovina Monte Capanne?

The Cabinovina Monte Capanne is a cable car that makes the journey from Pozzatello, just off the centre of the town of Marciana, to the top of Monte Capanne. Monte Capanne is the highest mountain and point on the Italian island of Elba and the lift takes you on an 18 minute journey over the stunning landscape of the area, offering the most spectacular of views along the way.

If you have found a vacation rental in Chianti and are exploring this beautiful part of the world, you might also want to look up and see what is in the skies above the lovely landscapes of Tuscany. And where better to do that than the Osservatorio Polifunzionale del Chianti, or Chianti Multifunctional Observatory? Located in Barberino Val d'Elsa, just over 30 minutes from Florence, it is the best place to view the starry skies of Tuscany, the Milky Way, Jupiter, and more, all while enjoying some small bites and a glass of wine. If you feel like spending a romantic evening stargazing in Tuscany, this is the place to do it!

Inaugurated in 2013 in the presence of Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli, this multipurpose institute is divided into four different observatories: the Astrophysical, Environmental, Geosismic and Agrometereological. Created by an initiative undertaken by the Municipalities of Barberino Val d'Elsa and Tavarnelle Val di Pesa, which are part of the Municipal Union of Florentine Chianti - Metropolitan City of Florence, and managed by the University of Florence, the observatory also has lots of research and academic partners including the Museum of Natural History of the University of Florence, the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology, the Institute of Biometereology IBIMET - CNR and Laboratory for Meteorology and Environmental Modeling LAMMA, the National Institute of Astrophysics, and the Departments of Physics and Astronomy, Agriculture and Earth Sciences of the University of Florence.

A few years ago, we wrote about a particular hill, located in a charming little town called Fiesole, just outside Florence. A long-time favourite holiday destination of noble families looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, including the Medici family, the town of Fiesole has continued to be a destination that attracts the rich and famous and normal folk alike who are looking to pop out of Florence and into the peaceful natural surroundings of this area for a while. The hill in Fiesole with which we were concerned, however, drew an incredibly famous visitor not for leisure but, instead, for experiments. Said visitor being Da Vinci, who, long before the Wright brothers, came to test out a flying machine on the hill of Monte Ceceri. This momentous and fascinating event in history is reason enough to draw Da Vinci fans and history buffs alike but there is actually plenty of reason for anyone to stop by if they have found a holiday rental in Fiesole.

As well as being the site of Da Vinci's would-be airport, Monte Ceceri is popular among hikers and those who like to admire scenery as it offers great panoramic views of the surrounding landscape of Tuscany and right over the city of Florence in the distance. In fact, it’s a perfect spot to spend some time out in nature and stretching your legs if you have found a vacation rental in Florence and are looking for some day trip ideas to explore some parts of Tuscany around the city.

If you want to experience the incredible wealth of history and culture and things to see and do in Florence but also want to spend time enjoying the beauty and peacefulness of the Tuscan countryside, then it would make sense to find a vacation rental near Florence. These rentals in the area surrounding the city offer you the chance to both readily visit Florence and to also explore the wider region of Tuscany. In this area around Florence, you will find endless little gems and surprises from specialist stores and makers to wineries, incredible restaurants to stunning historic villas and much more besides. One special gem far off the regular tourist path is Il Giardino Sotto Vico.

Literally meaning “the garden beneath Vico”, this botanic garden is located just outside the town centre of the town of Vico d'Elsa, which is located in the metropolitan area of Florence. Established by a small group of locals who wanted to create a garden for the town, it has grown in size and popularity. The interest and enthusiasm for the initiative has increased and gone from an idea to simply repurpose and reclaim a disused plot of land and become something that has captured local hearts and imaginations. Families, schools, locals, and more now all come together to help grow, add to, preserve, and admire this little beauty. It is a therapeutic space that improves both the physical and psychological health of the individual by immersing them in natural surroundings and the highly social and community-driven atmosphere of the space.

There are certain pictures of the lovely Tuscan countryside and landscape that get shared time and time again: the iconic winding roads and perfect rolling hills of the Val D’Orcia, Cypress Avenue in Bolgheri, and walled towns like Siena, as seen from a distance and with lush green surroundings. Amongst these “generic” images of the evocative Tuscan countryside, you are likely to spot one particular little chapel popping up time and time again, the Chapel of the Madonna di Vitaleta, or La Cappella della Madonna Vitaleta.

Located in the province of Siena, next to the village of Vitaleta, on the road between San Quirico d’Orcia and Pienza, this pretty little house of worship is one of the most photographed churches in Tuscany and is a picture-perfect gem. Framed by cypress trees either side of the single bay, white stone-clad gem, and surrounded by rolling green hills, it looks almost too idyllic for real life. But real it is, and it is also free to visit whenever you please. Just find a holiday rental in Siena and come see it for yourself.